Dead man served as key witness in Clarke County murder case

Posted: Sunday, June 17, 2001

By Ernest C. Hynds

Can the long arm of justice reach out from the grave to bring down those who have committed murder? Figuratively, it can, and Clarke County had a case in 1820 involving two prominent Salem residents to prove it. Salem was a thriving farming community then.

Thomas Wells and Peter Perry were believed to be good friends, but Wells was very protective of his beautiful wife and believed she might be having an affair with Perry. Wells was not a suspect, however, when Perry was mysteriously murdered.

In fact, there were no suspects until Perry's will was read. In it, Perry stated that he and Wells had exchanged several abusive letters and that Wells had sought to instigate a fight with him. He said he had not had an affair with Wells' wife and hoped that Wells would soon realize this.

Perry said, however, that if he were killed that those seeking justice should investigate Wells. After the will was read, they did investigate and concluded that Wells had killed Perry. A grand jury brought a true bill against Wells, a jury convicted him, and the judge sentenced him to death by hanging.

In the will, Perry also said that if Wells were convicted that he hoped he would be given as much time as possible to repent of his sin. Readers today can only hope that he did. The newspaper reports at the time did not say.

This article published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, June 17, 2001.